My Hockey Alpha novel Chapter 355

And then, when I opened my eyes, I saw it.

The shadow entity, lurking at the edge of the garden. I thought it was just a trick of the light at first, but then it grinned, and its sharp white teeth glared at me through the darkness like rows of knives.

My breath hitched. I couldn’t move, couldn’t scream, couldn’t even blink. I was frozen.

And then vision seized me, unbidden and terrifying.

My baby, our baby, lifeless in my arms, a future stolen before it had even begun. Tears stung my eyes, a silent scream lodged in my throat.

And then I woke up.

I shot up in bed, my heart racing, tears streaming down my face. It was a dream, just a dream. But the terror, the loss, it felt so real, so palpable, that I couldn’t shake it.

I glanced at Enzo. He was still sleeping peacefully beside me, unaware of the awful vision I had just endured. I wondered, for a moment, if I should wake him. But I ultimately decided against it.

It was just a dream, after all, right?

But what did it mean? Was it just a nightmare, the product of stress and hormones, or something more? A premonition, a warning? The shadow entity, it had been in my dreams before, but I had never had a vision like this. Never.

I wiped my tears away, my hands shaking. I had to go back out to that garden, had to see if the entity was still there. In my half-asleep and half-crazed mind, that was the most logical course of action.

Quietly, I slipped out of bed again, my movements slow and deliberate, careful not to disturb Enzo. I grabbed my robe and tiptoed out of the room, closing the door softly behind me.

The hotel hallway was just as dark, quiet, and empty as my dream. I quickly made my way to the elevator, then took it down to the lobby. Some paragraphs are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on Jobnib.com. Visit Jobnib.com to read the complete chapters for free.There was no receptionist this time, just a sign stating to ring the bell, but I walked right past and made my way down the hall toward the door that led to the garden.

And there it was. I pushed through the double doors, the chilly night air biting against my skin, and took in the sounds of the city. The air smelled faintly of cigarettes, a lingering scent from someone else utilizing this garden.

But there was no shadow entity. Just a few potted plants, a couple of benches, and a fence all the way around.

I let out a breath I didn’t know I had been holding and sank down onto the bench, onto the very same spot I sat in my dream.

It didn’t make sense. I hadn’t been out here before, and yet the dream was so vivid, so perfect. Was it possible that it wasn’t just a dream? No… I shook my head to dispel the thoughts. I must have seen this garden at some point, maybe from the hotel windows. That was it.

It was a dream. It had to be. Just a dream, and nothing more.

Because I wouldn’t let myself believe that my baby could really be in danger. I couldn’t.

As I slipped back into bed, Enzo stirred, his arm instinctively reaching out for me. I snuggled against him, burying my face in his chest, seeking comfort in his embrace.

“You okay?” he murmured, his voice thick with sleep.

I nodded against him, my own voice barely a whisper. ” Just stretched my legs. Couldn’t sleep. But I’m fine now.”

He kissed the top of my head, his arms tightening around me. “M’kay. I’m here if you need me.”

I closed my eyes, letting his warmth and his presence soothe the horrible images inside my head.

And as I willed myself to sleep, I pushed those images away.

Because it was just a dream. Just a dream…

Nina

The morning light filtered through the hotel room curtains and cast soft blue shadows on the furniture. I began to stir, but my eyes were slow to open. After last night, I felt as though I had been hit by a train.

Enzo was already awake. I could hear him moving about in the bathroom, and when he came out, he was drying his hair with a towel.

“Morning, sunshine,” he said, catching my gaze as I sat up. “You look wide-eyed and bushy-tailed.”

I stuck my tongue out. “I didn’t sleep well last night.”

He sat on the edge of the bed, his hand gently finding mine under the covers. “I noticed you got up. Is there anything you want to talk about?”

I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of his gaze on me. For a moment, I almost mentioned my dream-but I decided against it. “i’ve just been thinking about what you said last night,” I admitted. “About not getting to go on enough dates.”

Enzo’s eyes softened. “Nina, I didn’t mean to keep you up with that.”

“No, that’s not it,” I said, shaking my head. “I was just thinking… we still have time before the baby comes.

Why don’t we make the most of it?”

“It’s. It’s good,” I said, smiling slightly. “I went to the museum yesterday. And tonight, we’re going on a date

“As our conversation continued, I could feel my tension lifting. We talked about everything, just like we always did: parties, classes, books, art, relationships. Before I knew it, I was milling around the room on FaceTime, holding up various dresses for Jessica to critique for my upcoming date tonight before I finally settled on a short red dress that showed off my legs.

“You know, I can picture you and Enzo being city people,” Jessica mused as she popped a bite of pancake into her mouth. Lori sat beside her on the FaceTime call, looking a little haggard but otherwise satisfied with chocolate and coffee.

“Really?” I chuckled as I held the dress up to myself in the mirror, trying to decide on shoes and jewelry for the evening. I finally decided that I would just go with my boots, the old tried and true. “I don’t know about that. I like the peace and quiet of Mountainview.”

“Yeah, but the city has its perks,” Lori chimed in. “Perk number one being: Jessica and I could come and visit.” I couldn’t help but laugh. “Or, we could all just go on trips together,” I teased. “The city isn’t going anywhere.”

Lori considered this, but finally shrugged. “Trips are a lot different when you’re a new mom, you know?” Lori’s words gave me pause. It was an innocent comment, but she had no idea what it really meant after my argument with Enzo last night. And the thing was, Lori was right; I was gaining so much by becoming a young mom, but there would be losses, too.

I sank down onto the bed then, and it was then that Jessica noticed the somber expression on my face.

“Uh oh. What’s up, buttercup?”

I shrugged. “Nothing, it’s just… I hope we don’t all drift apart once I have this baby. That’s all.”

Lori and Jessica were silent for a moment before

Jessica finally spoke. “You really think I’d allow that to happen, Mrs. Rivers?”

Her words made me pause again. I shook my head, realizing that I was being silly. This was just another manifestation of last night; nothing more. “You’re right,” I said with a wry chuckle. “I’m just being sentimental.”

Lori grinned. “Sentimental is good,” she said. “It means you still like having us around.”

Before I knew it, our conversation was going off the rails again. It was soothing to talk to my friends, and even long after we said our goodbyes and I began to get ready for my date with Enzo, I couldn’t fully wipe the smile off of my face.

Last night… the argument, the dream, all of it. I couldn’t let it get inside my head like this. Not when I was surrounded by people who loved and cared for me.

Not when I had already been through so much. I was stronger than some nightmare.

After all, I had to be. Not just for myself, but for Enzo, for my friends, and most of all-for my baby